Silver
by tlyxor1
Summary: Oneshot. He remembers flushed cheeks and angry words and beautiful smiles. He remembers her - all of her - but he doesn't think she remembers herself. New Moon AU. Bella/Paul


**Silver **

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the Twilight universe. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended**.**

**Summary:** Oneshot. He remembers flushed cheeks and angry words and beautiful smiles. He remembers her - all of her - but he doesn't think she remembers herself. New Moon AU. Bella/Paul

**Author:** tlyxor1

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She finds him at the beach. He's sat in the shallows, wearing nothing but a pair of frayed three quarter jeans and a sad, bitter smile. The moon is full and reflects off the ocean's surface. His eyes are silver in the moonlight - the same colour as his wolf. She approaches him without hesitation because the darkness gives her strength.

"Leech lover," he greets. He raises a bottle of Smirnoff black label. it's vodka - nasty stuff, she remembers from those faded memories of Phoenix - and takes a swig. He doesn't even blink.

She settles down in the shallows beside him. The water makes her shiver, but the numbness that eats her alive quickly dulls the cold.

"Bit too late to be out, isn't it, leech lover?" He queries.

SHe smiles, a small, bitter little thing that's probably out of place on her face, but she doesn't much care. Bitter is how she feels, after all: bitter and old and used and tired. "I'm legally an adult. What's your excuse?"

Paul barks out a laugh. She's surprised how lupine it sounds, though the expression doesn't show on pale, flawless features. She doesn't know she's beautiful though. It's probably what makes her more attractive.

Paul can't say for certain though - he loves everything about her. Even the disgusting leech bite he can see glowing silver in the moonlight. It shows she's fought - been through hell and come out the other side - alive.

She's a fighter, he knows it. She knew it too, once upon a time. He can remember those endless summer days, with a fiery little brunette with Bambi eyes and a stubborn streak a mile wide. He remembers flushed cheeks and angry words and beautiful smiles. He remembers her - all of her - but he doesn't think she remembers herself.

"Ah, but you forget - I'm twenty one, leech lover."

She arches a thin eyebrow. It's her only show of surprise. Once upon a time, her eyes would go wide and her mouth would drop open. She'd gasp and her hands would fly to her cheeks.

Not anymore though. Life has taken that innocent surprise from her, replaced it with something harder to read and even more difficult to break.

She doesn't want to be hurt again.

He doesn't blame her.

"Why haven't you left?" She queries.

Paul shrugs. "There's nowhere to go."

It's a lie. The truth is, he'll go wherever she does. Because she's here though, here is where he'll stay. He'll never admit that though. Not here. Not now.

"So what brings you here?" She queries.

He cuts a glance in her direction. She's curled her toes into the sand - her fingers as well. Her eyes are on the moon though, silver in it's luminescent glow. Her skin glows ivory and he doesn't think he's ever seen a creature so breathtaking in his life.

With a lump in his throat, he takes another swig of Smirnoff and swallows hard. The burn barely registers. "It's beautiful at night." He smiles slightly. "Tell the other dogs I said that, I'll slit your throat."

A laugh bubbles up from somewhere inside her, a sound that reminds Paul of humid summers, uneven pigtails and mud stained dresses.

He hasn't heard that laugh in a long time.

"I'd like to see you try, Paul Lahote," she challenges. There's a gleam in her eyes, teasing in her smile. Here's the girl from summers way back when and for a moment, he wonders if she remembers. Then he wonders why it matters? That was then. this is now.

He reaches his arm back and pushes his bottle deep into the sand, ensuring it doesn't move. Then, in one fluid motion, he's pushed her back and rolled on top of her, one hand beside her head and the other tracing the column of her throat. The back of her clothes are completely soaked and she's swearing up a blue streak Quil would be proud of, but her eyes follow the movement of his arm as it follows his wandering hand.

He cups her cheek.

Their eyes lock.

For Paul, it's like the first time all over again: the sensation of falling and flying, and too many other things to describe.

For Bella, it feels like she's just seen the sun for the first time. She wonders why she's never noticed before.

"I'd like to kiss you." His heart is pounding. Hers is pounding right there along side his and though she doesn't refuse, neither make a move. He leans closer. "May I?"

She's breathless when she replies. "Please."

He does, soft and sweet and tender. Then she kisses back and for the moment, everything is okay.

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**Author's Note:** A oneshot mood. This is the love child of 'Fall for You' by Secondhand Serenade and 'Mine', 'I Almost Do' and 'The Last Time' by Taylor Swift. It's nothing special, but whatever. Review.


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